SETTING THE STAGE FOR success The power of performing arts goes beyond storytelling. It offers a creative outlet where young people can transform and express themselves in a fun and unique setting. The arts help students master skills from confidence and responsibility, to discipline and communication. Those core skills translate into life-long abilities. Performing arts experience strengthens soft skills for students like leadership, flexibility and teamwork. Those same skills cross over to improve hard skills that can be measured in improved grades that give students a competitive advantage. The College Entrance Board reports that students involved in performing arts outscored non-arts students on the 2005 SAT by an average of 65 points in the verbal component and 34 points in the math component. In addition to having higher standardized test scores than their peers, students who participate in performing arts often experience improved reading comprehension, maintain better attendance records, and stay generally more engaged in school than their non-arts counterparts. Schools with arts-integrated programs, even in low-income areas, report high academic achievement. The Performing Arts Research Coalition conducted surveys in 10 major metropolitan areas regarding the role of performing arts in their lives and communities. They discovered that at least 90 percent of respondents from each metropolitan area agreed or strongly agreed that the performing arts contribute to the education and development of children. More than 60 percent of respondents in each location who had children aged 13 and older strongly agreed that the performing arts contribute to the education and development of children. On average, just over half of respondents had attended a live theatre performance in the past year. According the to surveys in all 10 cities, live theatre is the most commonly attended type of performance. TOP LEFT: Craig Price, Education Director, and KidzAct participant, Vinny, talk through some tips on how to be more confident on-stage. TOP RIGHT: JJ Mazany, Roman Rogers and Calla Marco practice line together before the James and the Giant Peach Jr. audition. MAIN PHOTO: Tiffany Benjamin performs in the KidzAct Teen production of Sister Act. 60
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